So to say this race has been an obsession of mine for the past year would be a HUGE understatement. It has honestly been my way of life since September 6th last year. What I ate, how much I slept, how my weekly schedule was planned out...you get the picture all centered around this one day. It's the race I talked to everyone about, but never actually thought would come. Well it did, and it didn't disappoint :)
We headed up to Michigan late Thursday night after my class so we would have the entire day there on Friday. The ride up was great and we were greeted at my Aunt and Uncles house in Sister Lakes by my mom a little after midnight...super excited to be back at the lake house with my family...it has been about 10 years since we were all there at the same time. We slept in a bit on Friday, headed to the race expo where I of course spent a little bit too much money on clothes (why is it that I can spend a fortune on tri and yoga clothes but no other kind) and then headed back to the house to have dinner with everyone. I did my best to go to bed around 8pm with my alarm set to go off a little after 3am.
Race morning started off smooth...I was feeling great, got in my usual breakfast and we were out the door. Before we left I caught a glimpse of a picture of my Aunt Kathy that I hadn't seen, to be honest it's been a long time since I've seen any picture of her. I took it as a sign that she was going to be with me for the day and I knew she would get me through anything that I had going on. Little did I know that in about 45 minutes that would start...
We started our drive to transition so I could finish getting ready. As we were getting closer the rain started...really light though...no big deal. By time we got out of the car and I was in transition it really started coming down. There I am in pitch black and pouring rain trying to pump up my tires. Major mistake...it couldn't see anything and I was already starting to mentally freak out and I broke the valve off my tube...great. I ran as fast as I could with my bike to the bike support and about what felt like a year (was really about 30 minutes) had it fixed. I had just enough time to set up my transition area, wait in line for the bathrooms, rip on my wetsuit which pretty much meant Jim trying to pull it on for me (fyi wetsuits always suck to put on but they really suck when you are soaking wet), and then walk the 1.2 miles down the beach to the swim start. I had about 5 minutes until I had to get in the shoot for my wave to start...ok just breathe...
I tried to mentally let go of my crappy morning and forget about all of the energy I had already blown through. I was a nervous wreck just waiting on the beach, I have never felt like this before a race. My stomach was full of butterflies, so I just took a breath and we were off...
This was by far the BEST swim I have ever had in any race I have done. There was a large space to swim in and only had a few people in my way for the whole thing...it felt awesome. I kept a nice strong but sustainable pace and knew that I was on target for a good time. I was out of the water and into t1 in 33:21...awesome. Even more awesome...the rain stopped.
T1...super slow. Since it was raining before the race started I had everything in bags, including my bike seat, aero bar pads, bike shoes, socks, etc. you get the picture. I figured a few extra minutes in t1 were worth being as dry as I possibly could be. T1 time...4:58 ouch.
I was out on my bike and totally ready for the 56 mile ride. I have developed a new love for biking this year and I am still loving my new bike. The first portion of the ride the roads were really wet, so I was taking it easy so not to kill myself. About halfway through the bike the roads were dry and I started to pound a bit more. I felt really strong and pretty fast. The course definitely plays for some good speeds. It was a really pretty course and felt really calm in the country roads of Michigan. I finished by bike in 2:56:25 with an average speed of 19.05 mph. Really happy with that.
T2...started with me running to my rack with my bike, trying to get my bike on the rack, stumbling into my bag and falling over with my bike. Uh oh my legs are a little gumby-like. No problem they will come back. This transition was a little shorter, thank god, but much longer than I would have liked at 3:28.
Oh shit...I have a half marathon to run. Why didn't I realize this before? Or did I and just try to hide it in the "Half Ironman" label? Who knows...but boy can I play some tricks with myself.
So out of t2 and my legs are feeling just fine on the run. I knew I was running at a comfortable pace and was just doing whatever I could to play some mind games with myself. There were a few really killer hills (one in the first mile of the run) and I decided to give myself permission to walk up them...I have no shame. I'm feeling good and just thinking one foot in front of the other, and then the cramps start about mile 6. Shit I still have 7 more miles to run...keep going you are tougher than this...don't be a baby you knew this was going to hurt. It was also about that point in time that I realized that I really should have hydrated more on my bike, another lesson learned.
Someone above was listening to me about that time because right when my legs and head bullshit started I saw my family, my mom, dad, sister, and niece just got to the race. It was such a help to see them...it gave me that last bit of energy I needed. Over the last 7 miles I saw them 4 times, so great. I can't explain how much I needed that. The last mile of that run I will never forget...the volunteers at the last aid station letting us know how great we were and that we were almost there, all of us athletes encouraging one another to finish strong, the 3 little boys that were obviously brothers and standing in a row clapping everyone's hand that would pass them, the crowd of people on the last few hundred feet of the run and all of their nice words, running into 2 of my friends right after the finish, and then seeing Jim right after I got out of the finishers area. What a day...one I will never forget.
My final time was 5:45:18, 39th in my age group which was the top 28%. Super happy with my time, super happy with my day.
I was able to let the rough part of the morning go and just enjoy my day. I took in every moment that the day had to offer, and I feel so blessed to have had such a great experience. I had the most important people in the world to me there that day and they are all the reason that I was able to do this race.
After the race on Saturday we all stayed at the lake house in Michigan, ate some good food and stayed up late talking and laughing. I never wanted the day to end. I have the best family in the world and no amount of time with them is ever enough. Funny it's actually our second vacation together this year, we haven't even had one is like a decade...something that I hope we continue on with.
Now I'm back to reality and taking some much needed time off from "structured" training. I have two more short races these next two weekends and then I will be into my yoga world until my training starts later this year for IM Wisconsin next year. I'm so looking forward to what it has to offer if the half was this incredible.
